Last updated at 16:26, Friday, 05 February 2010

Rock climber and skier Dennis English asked for donations to the Great North Air Ambulance instead of birthday presents. And, as it was his 80th, people were more than happy to oblige.

Dennis English

Dennis, of Denton Holme in Carlisle, travels to Europe two or three times a year to climb. The former railway clerk also makes at least one trip to the French Alps to ski. For the rest of the time he’s happy tackling the likes of Scafell in Britain.

When the weather’s good Dennis likes to pick up his ice axe about four times a month.

When it’s not, he makes do with weekly trips to the climbing walls in Penrith.

He also finds time to fit in a fair bit of hiking, the Northern Fells being his favourite place to walk.

So it’s maybe just as well that his latest pursuit is power yoga, which has done marvels for his aching knees.

Dennis, who used to run Dennis English Mountaineering on Lowther Street, is modest and matter of fact about his active lifestyle.

He told The Cumberland News: “I do what I can, I’d like to do more but obviously your body loses strength as you get older.

“I suppose I am fit and healthy but I think you’ve got to put that down to the luck of the draw.”

Dennis’s most recent big climb was in September last year, scaling 8,000ft up the Italian Dolomites.

He had been gliding down Vallandry in France six months earlier.

A member of Carlisle Mountaineering Club for more than 50 years, Dennis has always preferred to take the difficult route.

He said: “I have done some mountaineering but I prefer rock climbing.

“It’s the challenge, I’ve been on ledges where there wasn’t really enough room for just one foot.

“When you’re rock climbing you go into the rock and up its face, with mountaineering you take the easier way.

“I’ve climbed in France, Spain, Belgium, Croatia and Jordan but the Dolomites are the best.

“The standard is very high – you don’t get crags like that in most areas.”

Despite becoming an octogenarian last week Dennis is considering adding Egypt’s Mount Sinai to his list of conquests.

He said: “I just fancy trying it and although I wouldn’t say I can speak Arabic I can get by – I was stationed in the Gulf of Suez when I was in the Army.”

Dennis celebrated his 80th with a party, and guests included friends from the mountaineering club.

He chose to make the Great North Air Ambulance the centre of attention because it provides a vital service for those injured in hard to reach locations.

Dennis added: “I was really pleased by everyone’s generosity but I wasn’t really surprised – there were a few people in the room who have needed the air ambulance themselves.”

First published at 14:13, Friday, 05 February 2010
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk